Cherry Blossom Girl
by Ink11
Summary: Sakura Xnot SakuyaX grows up in Jurai, beleiving she is the daughter of lady Ayeka. But, when she finds shes been lied to, she goes on a journey to find her mother. rated for language, sexual suggestion. this is a tenchi ryoko, better than it sounds.
1. first snow

Cherry Blossom Girl

Cherry Blossom Girl

Chapter one: First Snow

The morning came in with an eerie silence that the little girl didn't like at all. The house, the forest, the sky, the trees, the lake; everything was completely silent, painted in wisps of white mist.

For some reason, the young princess was finding it hard to stay in bed. The un- easy feeling seemed to be crawling up underneath her and pressing on the back of her neck, breathing down into her face. So, she kicked off her covers, and tip-toed past her sleeping sister.

"I guess I'll make breakfast," the princess whispered to herself, slipping down the stairs.

Feeling alone and quite disturbed by the ominous lack of sound, the little angel face tried to be as quiet as she could, feeling as though any sound would wake some sort of invisible sleeping creature. Just as she was about to turn on the stove, she happened to take a glance out through the window, which was almost hidden by family pictures, flowers, spices, recipes, and other various objects. Out the window, to the little girl's amazement, was snow. That was the incredible silence that had been muffling the household.

Now, when I say snow, I mean SNOW. The window was completely blocked by it, except for the smallest hole in the middle. Through this, the girl could see a world of complete beauty. Sunlight glistened off the weighted down trees and the frozen over lake. Each object was incased in ice, frozen. This was the sleeping creature that the little girl knew she didn't wish to wake, the silent and peaceful serenity of the first snowfall. The girl sighed, taking in the beauty around her.

"I wish it could be like this all the time." The girl whispered. Which was followed by a loud crash.

"But at the same time, I really don't," the girl chuckled, finally pulling away from the magical scene and turning on the stove. This girl was Sasami, the crowned Princess of Jurai. This title she wasn't proud of; having power meant having to humble one's self, and that's exactly what Sasami planned to do.

"Come on Ayeka, am I too fast for you? Or is that big royal ass of yours making it hard to aim?" Ryoko cackled as she spun into the kitchen.

"Oh hi Ryoko, you're up early today!" Sasami said with a chime in her tone.

"Yeah, the cold woke me up," Ryoko growled. Sasami made a mental note to be extra careful around Ryoko; the cold always made her grumpier than usual.

"So, what 'cha makin' anyway, kid, I'm starving!" Ryoko asked, leaning over Sasami's shoulder to look into the pot.

"Nothing…yet! You'll see!" Sasami giggled, pushing her friend away with her hand.

"Aw, come on, Sasami, I'm so hungry!" Ryoko moaned dramatically, putting a hand to her forehead and falling to the ground.

"Ryoko, get off the floor, it's very bad manners," Sasami's sister, Ayeka, came into the room, holding her nose high and glancing down at Ryoko on the floor. "What else can you expect from space trash like a pirate…" Ayeka added under her breath. Instead of obeying, Ryoko rolled over on her stomach and used her powers to glide along the ground, making circles around Ayeka.

"Stop that!" Ayeka snipped, folding her arms.

Sasami shook her head. Always fighting she thought with a smile. She loved Ayeka very much, and Ryoko she'd come to know as a sister as well. Ryoko was over five thousand years old, but her attitude and appearance was that of a seventeen year old. Ayeka was no less that five hundred twelve, and took on the appearance of a young woman not a day over twenty. Sasami herself was two hundred four, but looked like an eight year old girl.

That was when Tenchi arrived, he came down the stairs, simple and kind the boy was, only seventeen. Ryoko and Ayeka were madly in love with him.

Ryoko immediately paused, her look going blank as she listened to his foot steps.

"Tenchi!" She squealed. She disappeared from the floor, and re-appeared with her arms around the boy, who looked rather uncomfortable.

"Good morning Tenchi!" She said happily. "You know what? I'm really very cold. I know a fun way to warm up…" Ryoko said, lowering her voice in a seductive manner and moving her lips to his ear.

"I think I'll pass, Ryoko," Tenchi said in a routine manner. Gently he took Ryoko's arms off of his body.

"Good morning, Lord Tenchi," Ayeka said, nodding to him and blushing in a flustered manner.

"Oh, good morning, Miss Ayeka," Tenchi said with a smile, nodding back.

Ryoko just scowled. "I'm cold," She repeated. With that, she disappeared.

Tenchi looked at the spot she'd been standing at for a moment, then brushed past Ayeka to the kitchen. Like a dog, she followed him, the poor thing.

That's when a cute little girl, at the apparent age of twelve (she was actually over 20,000 years old) emerged from a door under the stairs. She was truly adorable, long, wild red hair, sparkling green eyes. This is me, Little Washu, the Greatest Scientific Genius in the Universe!

"Good morning!" I said happily. "Huh, it snowed last night, did it," I commented, glancing at the window. It is my pleasure to be able to tell the first chapter of our story, as the first chapter really always is the most needed, for without a first chapter, there can be no last chapter! Ah ha ha ha, I'm so damn philosophical!

This story, I must warn you, is one of great pain, loss, violence, lies, and suffering. But in the midst of all these terrible things, there can also be found beauty, compassion, honesty, loyalty, and, of course, love.

At any rate, I came upon a usual morning scene; Sasami in the kitchen, Ayeka following Tenchi around like a servant, Mihoshi and Kiyone stumbling in the front door, and Ryoko with a pissed look, lying on a rafter that stretches across the ceiling.

"Hmm, let's see…" I murmur, tapping my chin with my finger. "What's missing here…" I could tell something was wrong, but I couldn't quite grasp it.

"Ryoko!" I shouted suddenly. She jumped about ten feet in the air and nearly fell off her perch, catching herself just in time with her flying powers.

"What the hell, Washu, you scared the shit out of me!" She shouted, still floating in mid air with her hands crossed over her chest.

"Some one is grumpy today…" I mumbled, "Sorry, I was wondering where Ryo-ohki was,"

"Huh… I dunno, I thought she slept in Sasami's room last night. Oy, Sasami!" Ryoko called. "You seen Ryo-ohki?"

"No, sorry Ryoko, I didn't," Sasami called, sliding onions off her chopping board and into the pot on the stove.

"That's odd. Oh well, she'll show up when she gets hungry," Ryoko sighed. Ryo-ohki was Ryoko's pet cabbit; part cat, part rabbit, and tripling as a spaceship.

"Hmm," This made me uneasy. Ryo-ohki and Sasami had gotten very close; The cute little fluff ball always rode around on Sasami's head, even when she was cooking.

Tenchi left the kitchen, Ayeka following close behind. "I'm going to go train with grandpa. I'll be back in time for lunch, Sasami," Tenchi said, making his way towards the door.

"Oh, don't you want breakfast Tenchi?" She called, "It's the most important meal of the day, you know!"

"I know, I think grandpa will give me breakfast. I'll see you all later!"

"See you later, Lord Tenchi!" Ayeka called. Ryoko snorted. Mihoshi and Kiyone waved, as I did.

Ryoko rolled off her rafter, disappearing in mid air and reappearing by the door. "Well, I think I'll go look for Ryo-ohki!" Ryoko said with a sigh. "Call me when breakfast is ready, Sasami, I'll be around," She phased through the door.

"Sorry, we're late, Sasami, we kind of got the bus driver angry 'cause we didn't have enough money since we spent it all on-" Mihoshi babbled.

"That's enough, Mihoshi!" Kiyone grabbed the poor clueless girl by the head, covering her mouth angrily.

"We have an early patrol today, we'll be leaving soon!" Kiyone called to Sasami. Kiyone and Mihoshi were partners as Galaxy Police officers, and they patrolled the Earth system. Kiyone was set on getting promotions, but unfortunately it was hard when she had Mihoshi as a partner, as the girl was a bit on the ditzy side.

"Alright everybody, time to eat!" Sasami called cheerfully. I made my way to the table, slightly uneasy about Ryo-ohki's disappearance.

What ever Ryoko was up to, it wasn't finding Ryo-ohki, because she missed breakfast.

After breakfast, as always, I went strait to my lab. It took me a while to figure out what I should do until lunch. Usually I had an invention or something to work on, but at the moment I was in those annoying stages in between finishing a project and making plans for a new one.

"Ah ha!" Finally, something interesting enough to occupy my valuable time with. I flicked up three levers on one of my keyboards. The huge screen above it obediently sprang to life, as it should. Sasami and Ayeka appeared, noiselessly washing dishes.

"Boring!" I hit the "next" key. Kiyone flashed to life, vacuuming the floor. Mihoshi dashed in the door, slid on her sock feet, and crashed into Kiyone, followed by pandemonium. Kiyone flew backwards, hit her back against the back wall, knocked over a flower pot with the vacuum she was still holding in her hand. It fell to the newly cleaned floor with a crash.

I snickered, but I'd seen things like this before between the two.

"Next!" Tenchi appeared on the screen, sparring with his grandfather.

My hand went to the next key, but something caught my eye, and my hand hovered above the glowing button. Ryoko sat in an oak tree (which looked dead when it was the midst of winter), not to close, not too far, the picture of happiness. I smiled, shaking my head at how such little things could make my pirate friend so happy. Ryoko was loveable that way.

She changed positions, stretching to her side so she could lie down. Ryo-ohki came into view, those cute little yellow eyes that mimicked Ryoko's peering out from behind her head. The cabbit climbed, a bit clumsily since she was still growing into her large paws, over the woman's shoulder to get a better view. The poor thing was trying hard to stay on her master's body, so her delicate feet wouldn't touch the snow.

I breathed I sigh of relief. I wasn't so sure why I had been so perturbed about the little pet's absence, but I felt better when she was around. It wasn't like her to go far from home; she was devoted to her pirate master… well, usually, unless she was eating a carrot.

Tenchi had taken a break, bowing to his grandfather and taking refuge from his exhaustion under the very tree Ryoko was alighted upon. The poor girl stiffened nervously and sat up. Just her luck, Tenchi looked upwards. He said something that made her blush, and I cursed myself for not having put audio in my lovely machine.

Recovering quickly, Ryoko jumped down from her niche in one lithe movement, and settled down beside Tenchi. He didn't look nervous at all. Ryoko smiled at him; he smile back. I'd seen them like this only a few times before, when I was doing a bit of…surveillance.

It was Tenchi's turn to be embarrassed, and I watched gleefully as a blush spread across his nose and cheeks. Ryoko laughed, and he smiled, the blush slowly dissipating from his face. I sighed, leaning back in my chair with a knowing smile. After all, I'm the greatest scientific genius in the universe. I should be allowed a knowing smile. I pressed the off button without looking up.

Several days after I dropped in on Ryoko and Tenchi's 'talking' thing, a mysterious note arrived on the Masaki's doorstep.

The day started perfectly normal, Ryoko was yelling at Ayeka, Ayeka was yelling at Ryoko, Tenchi was trying to calm them down and trying to evade getting hit with a flying object in the process.

"Girls, come on, it was just sake, nothing to get worried about!" Tenchi whined desperately, ducking as an energy blast from Ryoko soared past his head, narrowly missing him and Ayeka and exploding when it reached a pot of flowers behind him.

"I _like _sake!" Ryoko whined, folding her arms across her chest.

"Let's just forget about it, okay?" Tenchi pleaded.

"No way, Lord Tenchi I don't think you understand the situation at hand! Ryoko drank the last of the sake Sasami uses on special occasions!" Ayeka trilled.

"We can always buy some more," Tenchi reasoned.

"Yeah, Ayeka, we can always buy some more!" Ryoko cackled. Ayeka went red.

"Hey, _you're _not getting out of this yet," Tenchi warned.

"Yeah yeah," Ryoko giggled.

"How can you be laughing at a time like this, you space monster!" Ayeka exclaimed, jabbing her finger at the delighted Ryoko.

"You should try relaxing, Ayeka, maybe those wrinkles will go away!" Ryoko said, bursting into laughter. She obviously was getting a kick out of Ayeka's reactions.

"You're _older _than me!" Ayeka cried, incredulous.

"Ah, there lies the problem; _I _don't have wrinkles!" Ryoko broke into a fit of laughter all over again, clutching her sides as she watched Ayeka's face grow tight with frustration.

"I am so tired of you, space trash!" Ayeka cried.

"Really, Ayeka, come up with some new insults, please, you're boring me!"

Tenchi stepped in. "Enough, both of you, come on, let's eat," Tenchi said, taking them both by the hand and pulling them to the table. They both blushed, of course. I rolled my eyes at their foolishness, but I couldn't help cracking a grin.

Sasami was the last to sit. It never ceased to amaze me that she could sit down; she's usually doing is racing around, diligently cleaning, or cooking, or doing something else helpful.

The food was enchanting, as always. Sasami was a great cook, what ever she made.

"I think I'll go get the mail," Tenchi rose with a yawn, making his way to the door. The poor mailman had to climb up the side of a mountain to get to the Masaki's mailbox. Since the priest, Tenchi's grandfather Katsuhito, lived on the shrine even further up the mountain, his daughter, who'd past away many years ago, had decided to live near by. At any rate, it was almost painful to think of the poor guy jogging up all those flights of stone stairs, just to deliver mail to a house full of apparently mad women, with only two men to be found. That must have seemed quite awkward for the little guy, to.

The snow had melted soon after it'd come, but it was still freezing outside, with plenty of ice on the ground and the trees, and when Tenchi opened the door to come back inside, it sent in a gust of blistering air. Ryoko moaned, and sunk underneath the table.

"Be brave, Ryoko!" Kiyone chuckled.

Tenchi made his way back to the table with a single letter in his hands.

"Wow, we got a letter for once instead of bills!" Mihoshi said excitedly, leaning in to have a glance at the ivory envelope.

"Well, go on, open it up, Tenchi!" I encouraged, dropping my chopsticks to my plate.

Tenchi nodded, "I'll read it out loud," He said, sliding his thumb under the fold. His tan hand pulled out only a small square of white paper. It took him about three seconds to read, and I could see there was only about four or five words on it. Tenchi's usually tan face paled just a bit.

"Ryoko, it's for you," He said, handing her the card and biting his lip.

She read it over once, twice, then three times slowly. She was buying herself time to compose herself, I could tell by her expression, and she obviously knew who it was from.

"Well, Miss Ryoko, don't sit there gawking, what does it say?" Ayeka asked, wiping her mouth with a dainty hand.

"Heh," Ryoko said, letting out a nervous chuckle. "It sais 'I'm coming for your head, Ryoko,' Huh, seems as if some one has it in for me, doesn't it?" She said, running a hand down the back of her head. "Well, that isn't unusual," She said, immediately snapping back to normal. "What ever," She tossed it over her shoulder. Tenchi gave her a look, which I knew she saw, but Ryoko ignored it. She bent over her food, suddenly ravenous.

I sat back in my chair. By the way Ryoko reacted, I had a strong feeling she knew who'd sent the letter, and I knew she didn't like it at all. Who could have it in for Ryoko… I caught myself thinking. I chuckled to myself, earning several questioning glances from the table members. Who wouldn't have it in for Ryoko? There wasn't many planets she hadn't been to, robbing, assassinating someone for money, or something else of that nature.

I shivered at the thought of who'd be brave enough to face Ryoko one on one, without a gang to back them up, or a fleet of GP officers and their ships. Looking back, I see how foolish I was, and how forgetful.

Kiyone came to me later, after lunch was cleaned up and the chores were done.

"Hey Washu," She called, stepping cautiously into my lab. I was glad that my adoptive family had caught the drift to be guarded in or around my lab, and it never ceased to amuse me.

"Hello Kiyone," I called back. She didn't answer right away, which made me chuckle.

"To your left!" I called back.

"Oh, thanks," Kiyone said with small laugh.

"What brings you to my humble abode?" I asked, ceasing my furious typing and turning in my magnetically suspended chair to face her. I snapped, and another chair flew from the darkness and pulled up beside the detective.

"I was wondering if you had any clue who that creepy letter was from," She asked, watching my face carefully. I wasn't sure why she thought I would lie to her, but she did, which irritated me. We were friends, for the love of Tsunami, just because she was a detective didn't mean she had to interrogate me.

"If you stop cross-examining me, then maybe I'll respond," I said heatedly. It sounded worse than I thought it would.

"Sorry," She said, breaking into a tired smile, "I'm too used to being a detective, I guess,"

I nodded. "Well, I have a feeling Ryoko knows who it is," I said, "and it's probably only one person, since they said 'I'" I pondered, "and that makes them very bold,"

Kiyone took this in. "I agree, about the Ryoko knowing who it is part. I already asked Tenchi to ask her about it. I hope she doesn't blow up. You know how she gets when she's nervous," Kiyone pulled her long legs to her chest, resting her head on her knees.

"Mmm," I agreed, nodding my head a bit and mimicking her position.

"But could it really be only one of them? They're awfully brave to face Ryoko alone," Kiyone said with a yawn; she was tired from chores, most likely.

"You can never know for sure," I told her.

"Well, I'd better go help Mihoshi with the laundry. See you around, Washu!" Kiyone waved, sliding out of her chair.

"To the right," I reminded her as she left. I heard the closet door shut, and I leaned back in my chair.

Tenchi was back late from working in the fields, which of course upset Sasami a sizable amount, since he missed dinner.

"But I made his favorite!" The poor thing cried, folding her arms and giving Ayeka a hateful glare.

"Sasami, I'm sure Lord Katsuhito had his reasons to keep Tenchi later. Ryoko, I don't know why she wasn't here, but who cares anyway... Please come to bed!" She begged, kneeling to Sasami's level and trying to look her in the eye. The blue haired girl avoided her sister's gaze, tears welling up in her big pink eyes.

"Sasami, I'm sure he wanted with all his heart to eat with us," Ayeka assured her. "Let's go to bed,"

The younger princess let out a pitiful little sniffle, and nodded. The girls disappeared up the stairs.

I was watching the scene from the couch, my laptop in my hands. I chuckled at Sasami's adorable exigency for family time. I only wished the rest of us, including myself, could find pleasure in the littlest things, as Sasami and Ryoko somehow managed.

Finally, when he did come, he was followed by Ryoko. It'd been dark for a while now, and I chuckled as a fiendish thought entered my mind.

"What were you two doing out so late huh?" I cackled, retrieving a blush from Tenchi and a scowl from Ryoko (which confused me greatly). They both seemed in pissed off moods, so I decided to leave it be.

"Nothing, Washu," Tenchi yawned, rubbing his face into his wrist. Ryoko seemed to want to get out of that room as soon as possible.

A tense silence collapsed itself on the situation, with the exception of Kiyone turning the pages of her book, and Mihoshi giggling at something or other.

I examined the situation carefully; the uncomfortable look on Tenchi's face, Ryoko's eyes simmering. They avoided each other's eyes as they moved toward the stairs. It hit me, not exactly like a ton of bricks, but more like a hard poke in the back of my head.

Without turning around, I called, "So, what 'cha fight about?" I almost could feel their muscles tense behind me.

"Washu, please don't," Tenchi sighed.

"It's always better if you talk about it," I said, only partly sarcastic.

"Will you shut up?" Ryoko hissed crossly. I heard her phase out of the room behind me, and Tenchi head up the stairs. Something was hiding in this first snow, and I didn't like it. Not at all. Little did I know it would be hiding for a while.


	2. frozen over

Cherry Blossom Girl

Cherry Blossom Girl

Chapter Two: Frozen Over

I hope non of you were disappointed with the small amount Washu was able to write. She's going to have another chapter, so don't worry about it. The only reason we agreed to let me write this part and cut off Washu so quickly was because Tenchi and I were the only ones around during these events, nudge nudge wink wink.

Tenchi and I had a fight, the first we'd ever had. He'd asked me to come to the fields with him, and obviously, I agreed. He had to shovel off the snow from the field in a few places, he said, to make sure the pipes that they used for irrigation were okay after the ice. I was feeling incredibly giddy.

He worked for along time, we talked about random things, the family, Sasami's cooking, Mihoshi and Kiyone's latest episode, etcetera. To my delight, Tenchi was actually interested in my pirate days. I told him how lonely I got, having only Ryo-ohki to talk to. I told him how I would feel so desperate, like there was a gaping hole in my heart where good things should be. I told him how I loved the stars, how I didn't like hyperspace tunnels because I couldn't see my little twinkly friends. I told him about the time I robbed the GP of their newest weapon, the three hundred version atom accelerator. He seemed interested, interested like no one ever had been. No one had ever bothered to listen.

When he talked, he told me of his mother, how they would go to a secret field in the middle of a valley, with a little stream running through it. He told me stories of his friends at school, a place I had never had the advantage of going to. He told me about his grandfather, how he'd tell him stories about the old days on earth, and the time he'd accidentally broken Katsuhito's statue of his wife, and didn't tell him about it until he felt so guilty he punished himself by cleaning the whole house, and training for four hours, and then finally telling his grandfather. He was punished all over again, which made me go into hysterics. He didn't think it was funny.

Then he brought up the letter.

"So, who was that letter from, Ryoko?" I could tell he was trying to act casual.

"How would I know?" I'd snapped. Of course, I knew exactly who it was from. There was one person in the universe who wanted my head, and thought I'd never admit it, she terrified me.

"Ryoko…" He began. "I know you know who it is, tell me so I can help you," He said. He'd put his hand on my shoulder, which I was to distracted to feel thrilled about.

"It's no big deal," I said, trying to pass it off like it was a love letter.

"It is a big deal! I don't want you getting hurt, Ryoko!"

"I'm not gonna get hurt!"

"I need to protect you!"

"I don't need protection!" We were shouting by now.

"You're being unreasonable, Ryoko!"

"I'll be what I want to be!"

"Stop being so stubborn!"

"I could say the same thing to you!"

"Ryoko what is your problem! I can see why Ayeka hates you so much!" He shouted. We both froze.

"Ryoko, I'm sorry, I didn't mean-"

"Shut up. Please." I whispered. I was scared if I spoke any louder, I'd break. A razor sharp lump was carving away at my throat, and I tried to swallow it.

"Ryoko, I-"

"Shut up!" I shouted. I could feel the tears in my eyes, so I turned around so he couldn't see me like this. Weak. Exposed… frightened.

He took a step towards me, so I walked away. I walked towards the edge of the field, went out through the little dirt path between the trees, out onto the stone steps, and I walked down towards the house. I didn't look back.

I guess I was over it by the next morning. But I didn't feel like I should be over it. He understands why Ayeka hates me… He's on her side… He shares her feelings… My thoughts tormented me as I slowly remembered why I had tears dried onto my face, and the leftovers of a lump in my throat. I was walking down the stairs as I remembered this, and I bit my lip to try and keep myself from letting my sadness, almost terror, spill over.

Mihoshi was there, scurrying around the kitchen, trying to be of help, the poor dear. Kiyone was up to, following Mihoshi so the girl wouldn't break anything. Washu was seated on the couch. Washu… as sleep left me, I leisurely remembered why my feelings were pissed with her, to. That comment, the teasing. Right.

I walked strait past her, the detectives, and Sasami, strait out into the cold. I didn't feel like talking to anyone at the moment. I could feel Kiyone and Sasami's worried stares press into the back of my head as I balled up on the porch. Washu, I knew, probably glanced at me, but she was too wrapped up in her stupid holotop to worry about anything else. Mihoshi was just too clueless to even guess I was upset. I didn't understand why they cared. No one had, no one should, which made me even more depressed thinking I had no chance with Tenchi. I was putting myself into a funk, I knew it, but I couldn't help myself.

I was dreadfully glad Ayeka wasn't awake yet; she'd be in seventh heaven if she found out what Tenchi said to me.

I grabbed my head in my hands. The pain was unbearable. I almost tried to tell myself Tenchi didn't mean it, but I realized for some reason it made me feel worse. It was probably because once I tried, I realized all the evidence was against me.

I was crying, and I swore at myself mentally. This was idiotic. I'd fallen for some stupid Juraian prince, and now I was crying. I was a space pirate, god damn it, this wasn't me at all. Or was it? Was it the real me?

I fell to my side, utterly confused.

I thought I heard someone chuckle. I sprang up, trying to pretend I wasn't feeling emotional in any way what so ever. But no one sprang forward, no violet haired princess came out to taunt me, to tell me what I already knew; I'd lost.

I curled up again. The jumpy situation had brought me back to the present, and I realized with dismay that I couldn't feel my fingers. I cursed this disgusting backwater planet for its hebetudinous bad weather.

"Shit," I murmured, tapping my fingers against the house, only to realize they were hard as rock. I hadn't realized I'd been out for so long.

I recognized, with a pang, that if my hand could freeze…

I reached up to feel my face. A slick trail of ice ran down the left side of my face, from my eye to my chin.

I hurried inside with my head down, extremely embarrassed with this stupid situation; my hand and my tears were frozen because I was being self centered and idiotic.

Ayeka had come down from her room, all glowing and happy. My first thought was Tenchi must have told her.

I tried to scurry by her, but she caught me.

"Ryoko, why were you outside?" She was concerned? The tears had melted off my face by now, and I wiped them away hastily, hoping she hadn't seen.

"What's it to you?" I said, brushing past her.

I bumped into Tenchi. He'd come down the stairs while I'd had my head down. He took me by the shoulders, trying to steer me to the back room. I ripped out of his hold, spinning on my toes.

"Washu," I said, looking up. She was still on the couch, type type typing away.

"mm?" She said, not looking up.

"Can I talk to you?"

Washu'd led me into her lab, sitting me down on a table.

"What's the problem, dearie?" She said, her hands on her hips as she turned to face me.

"My hand," I grumbled, raising it so she could see. It was purplish and hurt like hell.

"Ahh, a bit of frost bite, huh?" Washu said. She opened a dimension pocket, stuck her hand in and rummaged around for a while. When she pulled her tiny hand out of the compartment, it brought with it a yellow metal box. At fist, I thought that was all it was. But looking closer, I saw a small slot in the side. I had a very bad feeling about this.

"Now just put your hand in here…" Washu said, setting the box on the table.

I glared at her. "You want me to put my hand inside some contraption that you've just pulled out of a dimension pocket?"

"Yes!" She said, obviously not noting my unease; either that or enjoying it.

"NO way. I am not putting my hand into somewhere where I can't see it, if it involves your machines," I said stubbornly.

"You're such a baby!" Washu said, rolling her eyes. Before I could protest, or even before I could take another breath, she'd shoved my hand into the slot. I pulled. It didn't budge.

"Just hang on a second…" Washu'd pressed a button on the side of it, opening up a whole new compartment with an elaborate array of buttons. She pressed the biggest one before I could stop her.

I waited for the pain, the explosion, the malfunction of some sort that would leave me worse off then before.

Then, a charming warm feeling spread from my finger tips to my wrist. To my surprise, the thing was working. Usually Washu's machines did something incredibly the opposite of working. I had learned not to trust her with these important things when she was dealing with one of her messed up trinkets.

A metal clamp released my hand, and I pulled it out to gaze at it with wonder. It was completely healed.

"Gee, thanks Washu. I thought for sure it was going to blow up on me," I said, grinning at her.

"Hardy har har," Washu said dryly. "Now get out of my lab before I make you!" She yelled suddenly.

I jumped, and teleported immediately. I could've sworn I heard her chuckle as I left.

I teleported up to my place at the table. Breakfast was almost over, and I was starving.

I was feeling better, mentally forgiving Washu for her sadistic comments the night before. I'd hoped she'd taken my thanks as an 'it's okay'.

"Oh, hi Ryoko, I'm glad you made it for breakfast!" Sasami said brightly, smiling ear to ear in my direction.

I love that kid. "Yeah, thanks Sasami," I said. I almost started eating when the sick terror soared in my stomach again. I cursed myself for looking up, for when I did, Tenchi had been staring at me with whimpering eyes.

I didn't want to forgive him. Why should I? He'd gently poked at my heart, until suddenly he leaned forward and jabbed a gaping hole in it with a screw driver.

I didn't feel hungry anymore. "I'm not hungry, today, Sasami," I said. My voice came out a lot less reassuring then I'd wanted it to.

I slid through the floor into the cellar before she could ask me anything that would make me break down.

I don't know how long I was there. I don't know if I missed lunch, because the sick feeling was bloating my stomach. I felt I wanted to curl up and die.

He came down later, trying to be quiet. It didn't work. Tenchi wasn't a very graceful person.

He sat down beside me, putting his strong arm around my shoulder.

"Ryoko, I'm sorry," He whispered. I didn't answer. That wasn't going to work on me, not this time. "I'm an idiot. I don't know why I said that… Please, I was just frustrated," My silence was making him uneasy. Good. That makes two of us.

"Ryoko… I'm desperate. Please, I didn't mean it, any of it. Except maybe the stubborn part."

I couldn't help smiling. My game was over. I leaned against him, pressing my face into his chest.

I felt his body mellow beneath me, his muscles unwind. "Another thing Ryoko," He said. My ear was against his chest, I could hear his heart, going a million miles per hour.

"Tenchi?" I looked up, worried. Tenchi was staring at me. He put his finger under my chin, leaned forward…

Time seemed to freeze. It seemed it couldn't be moving if I had all that thinking time. He was kissing me? That couldn't be right. I almost laughed out loud. But what ever he was doing, he missed his target, because our lips met. He didn't move, except pressing forward a bit at one point.

I wasn't thinking anymore, nothing was rushing through my head. It was serenely empty, just pictures floating through my head. The sick feeling was gone, absorbed by sudden an extreme hunger. I distantly remembered not eating anything that morning.

Tenchi's tongue flitted across my teeth. I wasn't even surprised, it seemed so natural. I opened my mouth, letting his tongue gently brush mine. It was scary almost, the electricity.

When he pulled away, he brought me to his chest. His lips brushed my ear as he whispered, "I love you, Ryoko,"

I was stunned. Sure, he kissed me, but he was a guy. He had hormones, didn't he?

But he said it. He said what I dreamed of watching come out of his mouth, and I couldn't respond. Tenchi had locked my voice away in my heart (along with my common sense), which he'd held in the palm of his hand since the second he met me. I begged him to give me the key, but I ended up prying it open myself. I realized I'd been quiet for too long, but he didn't seem to mind.

"I love you, Tenchi," I whispered. I could feel tears rolling down my cheeks. This time I didn't hurry to hide them.


	3. why me?

Chapter 3: Why Me?

All I really want to say is they were married in April. All I should have to say is the strait facts; married, happy, blind. Really, all that's needed to say is that they had it coming. Did they think that a Juraian prince could marry an infamous space pirate without being noticed? Did they think Jurai wouldn't get involved, did they think the troubles they had before would just melt away?

But that wouldn't be fair. That is what I saw, through a jealousy frosted window. I know that they saw it coming.

The days then went like this: In the morning, Tenchi carried Ryoko down the stairs. I sat across the breakfast table from them. Throughout the day, stealing looks at each other, sneaking moments away from their family. At night, falling asleep in front of the TV. He carried her back up the stairs. It wasn't fair. How dare they insist that I stay for the wedding? How dare she look at me with that smug grin, telling me I was her bridesmaid, and there wasn't any way around it? How dare he take me by the hand, look at me with those big, bottomless brown eyes? How dare they show me how happy they were, and pretend they needed me?

I tried to leave. Ryoko, against Tenchi's will, "carefully" blasted me out of the sky twice. I needed to leave. They hurt me with their love.

She was gone within a month. Tenchi was never the same. And left only with a single, miracle gift.

It gets better, ok? I promise, this is just the beginning. Please stay with me!


End file.
